Nepal Airlines Firms Order for Two Sharklet-Equipped A320s

by Staff on July 1, 2013

Nepal Airlines Corporation, Nepal’s national flag carrier, has signed a firm order for two Airbus A320s equipped with Sharklet fuel saving wing tip devices, firming a memorandum of understanding agreed on April 29.

According to Airbus, Nepal Airlines chose the Airbus A320 for its performance capabilities for high-altitude airport operations and its flexibility, enabling the type to be deployed on a wide variety of routes.

On April 29, 2013, Nepal Airlines Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding to buy two new Airbus A320s equipped with drag-reducing Sharklets. The airline firmed its order on July 1, 2013

Equipped with Sharklets to provide up to a 4 per cent reduction in fuel burn, the aircraft will be the cornerstone of Nepal Airlines’ modernized fleet.

“Nepal is a landlocked nation, and aviation is our window to the world. It welcome explorers, trekkers and pleasure seekers, cultural and ecological visitors and its importance cannot be overstated for our country,” says Madan Kharel, managing director of Nepal Airlines Corporation. “Our new A320s with Sharklets will help us to increase capacity, capitalize on the growth in tourism.”

The carrier currently flies to four international destinations and 25 domestic locations in the heart of the Himalayas. Its new A320s will be fully equipped with latest Required Navigation Performance (RNP) technologies, allowing the aircraft to fly precisely along pre-defined routes using advanced onboard navigation systems.

RNP capability is particularly important for operations at high-altitude airports which are constrained by mountains, such as the carrier’s main base in Kathmandu.

The Airbus A320 family includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321. Nearly 9,500 Airbus A320-family aircraft have been sold to more than 380 customers and operators worldwide.